Week Ahead

What to watch and watch for

FRIDAY 9/14
Cubs at Cardinals
As the playoff picture comes into focus, the defending champions are muscling into the frame. St. Louis, once as many as 10 1/2 games back in the NL Central, finished the weekend three behind first-place Milwaukee. This series is the Cardinals' last chance to make up ground head-to-head on second-place Chicago, which is one game out. St. Louis will need strong outings from starters Mark Mulder (left) and Mike Maroth, both of whom returned from the disabled list last week.
Check listings

In theaters: Mr. Woodcock
American Pie star Seann William Scott is getting old to play a high school kid, but there are many ways to mine teen angst. In Woodcock, Scott plays a successful author who learns that the gym teacher who terrorized him in junior high (Billy Bob Thornton) is about to marry his mother (Susan Sarandon). Wacky high jinks and slapstick comedy, much of it set in a school gym, ensue.

SATURDAY 9/15
No. 22 Tennessee at No. 5 Florida
Week 1: Gators QB Tim Tebow (right) throws for three touchdowns in a 49--3 win over Western Kentucky. Week 2: Tebow tosses three TD passes and runs for two more in a 59--31 defeat of Troy. Now things get serious: This week the defending national champs face their first ranked opponent of the year. After Florida the Vols have the SEC's best passing offense.
CBS 3:30 p.m.

SUNDAY 9/16
Chargers at Patriots
San Diego had a league-high nine Pro Bowlers in 2006 and the NFL's best record—and lost in the playoffs to New England. Chargers QB Philip Rivers, who made several mistakes late in that loss (it was his first playoff game) can show how he's matured in his first visit to New England.
NBC 8:15 p.m.

Formula One: Belgian Grand Prix
With four races left in the season, two-time defending champion Fernando Alonso trails his McLaren-Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton by three points, even though Alonso (right) has won more races than any other driver this season. Hoping to become the first driver since Juan Manuel Fangio in 1955 to win back-to-back Formula One titles with different teams (he drove for Renault in 2006), the Spaniard heads to Belgium, where he placed second in 2005.
SPEED 7:30 a.m.

SI PICK OF THE WEEK

THURSDAY 9/13
The Tour Championship
The first FedEx Cup concludes with the first event of the playoff with a full field of stars. Tiger Woods (left) skipped the opening FedEx tournament, the Barclays; Ernie Els was a no-show for the Deutsche Bank Championship the following week; and Phil Mickelson (right) sat out the BMW Championship in Chicago. All will be in attendance at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. Time off didn't hurt Woods or Mickelson—they enter the championship ranked first and third in the FedEx race. The leader after this event pockets $35 million.
Thursday and Friday Golf Channel 1 p.m.; Saturday NBC 2 p.m.; Sunday NBC 1:30 p.m.

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CHUCK SOLOMON (MULDER)

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FRED VUICH (WOODS)

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FRED VUICH (MICKELSON)

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OLIVER WEIKEN/EPA (ALONSO)

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BOB ROSATO (TEBOW)